Changes

* ''Birth: [[1530]]''

* ''Birth: [[1530]]''

* ''Death: [[1584]]''

* ''Death: [[1584]]''

* ''Other Names: Ryûzôji Tanenobu, Ryûzôji Takatane''

* ''Other Names: Ryûzôji Tanenobu, Ryûzôji Takatane, Engetsu''

* ''Title: Yamashiro no Kami''

* ''Title: Yamashiro no Kami''

* ''Sons: Masaie, [[Ryuzoji Ietane|Ryûzôji Ietane]], [[Ryuzoji Ienobu|Ryûzôji Ienobu]].

* ''Sons: [[Ryuzoji Masaie|Ryûzôji Masaie]], [[Ryuzoji Ietane|Ryûzôji Ietane]], [[Ryuzoji Ienobu|Ryûzôji Ienobu]].

Takanobu was the eldest son of [[Ryuzoji Chikaie|Ryûzôji Chikaie]] and a great-grandson of [[Ryuzoji Iekane|Ryûzôji Iekane]]. His father was killed by [[Baba Yorichika]] in [[1544]]. He became a monk at a young age and was known as Engetsu. At around age of 18 he returned to secular life and in 1548 became the head of both main branches of the Ryûzôji house (following the death of [[Ryuzoji Tanehide|Ryûzôji Tanehide]]). Certain retainers had proposed that Tanehide's son, [[Ryuzoji Ienari|Ryûzôji Ienari]], be named the lord and others doubted Takanobu's ability to rule. However, Takanobu proved himself a competent commander. In 1553 he rebelled against [[Sho Tokinao|Shô Tokinao]] and the following year he took [[Saga castle]] and drove Tokinao to [[Chikugo province]]. Takanobu pursued and killed him in [[1556]]. Takanobu expanded his power throughout Hizen, struggling in the [[Sonogi Region]] with the [[Omura clan|Ômura]] and [[Arima]]. Takanobu soon came into conflict with the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo]] of [[Bungo province]] and in [[1570]], with [[Nabeshima Naoshige]], dealt them a major defeat at the [[Battle of Iyama]]. The Ôtomo's defeat at the [[Battle of Mimigawa]] in [[1578]] at the hands of the [[Shimazu]] allowed Takanobu to expand into [[Higo province]] and east of Hizen at their expense. He defeated an Ôtomo army in [[Chikugo province]] in [[1579]] and attacked the lands of the [[Omura|Ômura]] around the same time, forcing the submission of the latter in 1580. A ruthless schemer, he tricked [[Kamachi Shigenami]] into coming to a sargaku party and had him murdered, thus acquiring Kamichi's powerful [[Yanagawa Castle]] (in Chikugo)in 1579. Given the Kamachi's service to Ryûzôji Ienari during the war with Baba Yorichika in 1544-45, this was seen as especially underhanded and disturbed the Ryûzôji retainer band. Takanobu came into conflict with the Shimazu over Higo Province after [[1580]] while gradually wearing down the Arima of Hizen's Shimabara area. In 1584 he assembled an army of as many as 20,000 men and marched against the flagging [[Arima Harunobu]], whose own meager forces were reinforced by Shimazu Iehisa. At the [[Battle of Okinawate]], Shimazu swordsmen burst into Takanobu's command post and cut him down, triggering a general rout of the Ryûzôji forces. After Takanobu's death, his son [[Ryuzoji Masaie|Ryûzôji Masaie]] submitted to the Shimazu. Takanobu's nickname was the 'Bear of Hizen' (Hizen no Kuma), at least in part a reference to his habit of wearing bearskin on his armor. At the same time he is said to have heavily indulged in alcohol and by 1580 was showing signs of advanced alcoholism, including a dulling of his mental capabilities and an increasing girth. In fact, he was carried to his last battle, Okinawate, in a palanquin, as he was physically incapable of riding.

Takanobu was the eldest son of [[Ryuzoji Chikaie|Ryûzôji Chikaie]] and a great-grandson of [[Ryuzoji Iekane|Ryûzôji Iekane]]. His father was killed by [[Baba Yorichika]] in [[1544]]. He became a monk at a young age and was known as Engetsu. At around age of 18 he returned to secular life and in [[1548]] became the head of both main branches of the [[Ryuzoji clan|Ryûzôji house]] (following the death of [[Ryuzoji Tanehide|Ryûzôji Tanehide]]). Certain retainers had proposed that Tanehide's son, [[Ryuzoji Ienari|Ryûzôji Ienari]], be named the lord and others doubted Takanobu's ability to rule. However, Takanobu proved himself a competent commander. In [[1553]] he rebelled against his lord, [[Shoni Tokinao|Shôni Tokinao]], and established the Ryûzôji's independence from being vassals of the [[Shoni clan|Shôni]].

 

The following year he took [[Saga castle]] and drove Tokinao to [[Chikugo province]]. Takanobu pursued and killed him in [[1556]]; with aid from the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo]] and [[Ouchi clan|Ôuchi]], he then hunted down and eliminated the Shôni. Takanobu expanded his power throughout Hizen, struggling in the [[Sonogi region]] with the [[Omura clan|Ômura]] and [[Arima clan]]s. Takanobu then came into conflict with the [[Otomo clan|Ôtomo]] of [[Bungo province]], and dealt them a major defeat at the [[1570]] [[Battle of Imayama]], with the help of [[Nabeshima Naoshige]]. The defeat of the Ôtomo at the [[Battle of Mimigawa]] in [[1578]] at the hands of the [[Shimazu clan]] allowed Takanobu to expand into [[Higo province]] and east of Hizen at the Ôtomo's expense. Takanobu came to be known as the "lord of five provinces." He defeated an Ôtomo army in Chikugo province in [[1579]] and attacked the lands of the Ômura around the same time, forcing the submission of the latter in [[1580]]. A ruthless schemer, he tricked [[Kamachi Shigenami]] into coming to a ''[[sarugaku]]'' party and had him murdered, thus acquiring Kamachi's powerful [[Yanagawa castle]] (in Chikugo)in 1579. Given the Kamachi's service to Ryûzôji Ienari during the war with Baba Yorichika in 1544-45, this was seen as especially underhanded and disturbed the Ryûzôji retainer band.  

 

Takanobu came into conflict with the Shimazu over Higo province after 1580, while also gradually wearing down the Arima of Hizen's Shimabara area. In [[1584]] he assembled an army of as many as 20,000 men and marched against the flagging [[Arima Harunobu]], whose own meager forces were reinforced by [[Shimazu Iehisa]]. At the [[Battle of Okinawate]], Shimazu swordsmen burst into Takanobu's command post and cut him down, triggering a general rout of the Ryûzôji forces. After Takanobu's death, his son [[Ryuzoji Masaie|Ryûzôji Masaie]] submitted to the Shimazu. Takanobu's nickname was the 'Bear of Hizen' (''Hizen no kuma''), at least in part a reference to his habit of wearing bearskin on his armor. At the same time he is said to have heavily indulged in alcohol and by 1580 was showing signs of advanced alcoholism, including a dulling of his mental capabilities and an increasing girth. In fact, he was carried to his last battle, Okinawate, in a palanquin, as he was physically incapable of riding.

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Samurai]][[Category:Sengoku Period]]

[[Category:Samurai]][[Category:Sengoku Period]]